A man has admitted abducting a nurse and leaving her tied up and gagged in the boot of a car for 10 days while he plundered her bank account to fund a Christmas shopping spree and lavish nights out.

Justice Ngema bundled Magdeline Makola into the back of her red Vauxhall Astra and left her in subzero temperatures while he drank champagne with friends and bought designer clothes. He even went to mass on Christmas Day while his victim spent her ninth day in the boot.

Yesterday Makola was at the high court in Edinburgh to hear Ngema, 35, admit 14 charges including assault, abduction and theft. Despite her ordeal, which left her with scars, nerve damage and hypothermia, Makola, 38, said she felt no anger.

A statement read outside court by Detective Constable Kevin Houliston said: "When I was taken I did not think I was going to survive and the experience of being trapped is one that will stay with me for the rest of my life."

She said her faith in God helped her, adding: "I am pleased that Justice Ngema has pleaded guilty today and I want people to know that I feel no anger towards him, only pity. I wish him well in the future and I will pray for him."

Ngema, who was in the country illegally using his brother's passport after being deported in 2002, had been introduced briefly to Makola, a fellow South African, several years previously.

Advocate-depute Alex Prentice said that on the day of the attack last year Ngema turned up at Makola's home in Livingston, West Lothian, saying he was thirsty.

She invited him in but when her back was turned he grabbed her around the neck and said: "I'm a professional, I kill people, you shut up right now."

She was then bound and gagged and put in the back seat of her car. When she struggled she was stuffed into the boot.

Makola told police she believed she would be raped and hanged after feeling "a noose around her neck".

Police launched an investigation after the nurse failed to turn up for a shift at the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, where she had not been seen since 15 December.

Officers eventually found her car in Airdrie, Lanarkshire, on Boxing Day.

The court heard Makola had made a good recovery but when she was discovered she was severely dehydrated and her fingers and toes had turned white.

Ngema's defence said the attacker "deeply regretted everything that he did". He was remanded in custody and will be sentenced at the high court in Glasgow on 21 July.